Tokyo Olympics 2021: Australian Equestrian Team- List of All Athletes and Other Details

The Tokyo Olympics 2021 draws nearer and countries are preparing their teams to steal the show. For the equestrian games, countries the like the USA, Great Britain and Ireland have announced their teams, but it’s time for another powerhouse to enter the field.

Australian eventing team for the Tokyo Olympics 2021

Australia’s eventing team is legendary, full of some of the most decorated names in the sport. One of those names will make history as he enters his eight Olympic Games. Eventer Andrew Hoy will lead the Australian eventing team at 62, and sets an Olympic record for longevity.

Talking to Fox Sports he said, “To represent Australia at international level over so many years has been the greatest privilege and honour of my life. I have never set out to break records on my number of Olympic Games participations ? I am just a country boy who loves his horses, has a huge passion for our sport and thrives on being competitive at the top end.”

The team includes Andrew Hoy on Vassily de Lassos, Chris Burton on Quality Purdey, Shane Rose on Virgil, and the reserve combination of Stuart Tinney and Leporis. Chris Burton returns to the Olympics for the third time, having won bronze in eventing in Rio 2016. Shane Rose also enters his third Olympics, having won silver in Beijing 2008 and bronze in Rio 2016.

Led by a legend like Andrew Hoy, the Australian eventing team will gun for gold. However, standing in their way is their former compatriot, but now riding for USA, Phillip Dutton. Dutton won gold for Australia in eventing at the 1996 and 2000 Games. Will the country he formerly represented storm past him in Tokyo?

Australian Dressage team is one to watch out for

If Andrew Hoy sets a record for competing in his eighth Olympics, the leader of the dressage team will put him to shame. At 66, Mary Hanna enters her sixth Olympic Games, having first competed in 1996. Unlike Hoy, she hasn’t won a medal in eventing, but sets a record for longevity.

Joining her is Kelly Layne on Samhitas, and Simone Pearce on Destano. She will ride Calanta, the horse with whom she set an Australian Kur Record in March 2020. Layne will make her Olympics debut, having missed out on Rio 2016 because of an injury to her horse. Simone Pearce is new to the Olympic stage, but many touted her as the next big star in international dressage.

Hanna is a grandmother to three, and according to The Chronicle of The Horse, a fourth grandchild is on the way. She said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be selected for my sixth Olympics. It has been a truly testing time for all with so many challenges? a bit like walking a tightrope to get this far, and I am sure it?s been the same for my fellow team members.”

Will the Australian eventing and dressage teams go all the way? Will they succeed in what looks like an excellent competition at the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

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